RU2658238C2 - Method of adaptive clutch engagement - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: machine building.

SUBSTANCE: method is disclosed in which a set of clutch pedal positions that are expected to result in a disengaged clutch state, is produced and adapted to changes in clutch (8) engagement point. In the implementation of the method, the current position of the clutch pedal is added to the data set when clutch (8) engagement state is considered to be disconnected, and remove the clutch pedal positions P that are more meshed than the current position of the clutch pedal P from the data set when the clutch engagement status is considered to be non-disconnected. Method for switching off and starting a vehicle engine is also proposed, and a device for turning off and starting the vehicle engine.

EFFECT: improved fuel economy, safety.

16 cl, 7 dwg

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a vehicle having an internal combustion engine, and more particularly, to a method for adaptively engaging a clutch connecting an engine and a manual transmission.

State of the art

The prior art vehicles having a manual gearbox with a start-stop system for automatically stopping and starting the internal combustion engine used to create motor energy of the vehicle.

The start-stop system automatically stops the engine whenever it allows to reduce fuel consumption and reduce emissions from the engine.

If the vehicle has an automatic start and stop function, you need to know when the torque is transmitted from the engine to one or more driven driving wheels. In some implementations, start-stop systems stop and restart the engine only in neutral gear (SIN), in other embodiments, stop and restart are also possible with the gear engaged when the clutch pedal (SIG) is fully depressed.

For the start and stop control system, it is important to have information that the torque will not be transmitted (the gearbox is in the neutral position or the clutch is turned off) before the engine is restarted, especially if the restart of the engine is automatically requested by the start-stop system (for example, due to low battery or high power consumption of the air conditioning unit), and therefore is unexpected for the driver.

In start-stop systems with a manual gearbox, a threshold value between the “depressed pedal / released pedal” positions, indicating that the start-stop system can start the engine, is usually used to detect the driver’s intention to move with the clutch pedal depressed. A similar threshold value can also be used to identify a situation in which the driver has released the clutch pedal and intends to stop for a sufficiently long time so that the start-stop system can turn off the engine in order to save fuel.

Starting the engine with the gearbox engaged may cause the vehicle to move unexpectedly, resulting in a dangerous situation.

In cases of stop in neutral gear (Stop-in-Neutral, SIN) when using a mechanical gearbox to determine that the gearbox is in neutral gear and, therefore, the torque will not be transmitted, use a neutral gear sensor (Gear Neutral Sensor , GNS), which transmits to the start-stop controller a signal indicating whether neutral gear is selected. A particularly important problem is a possible incorrect message from the GNS about the state of the gearbox, since this can lead to a restart of the engine with the gearbox engaged, which will lead to unintentional movement of the vehicle.

To stop in the engaged gear (Stop-in-Gear, SIG) in start-stop systems with a manual gearbox, you must be guided by the indication that the drive line is off. This is not an easy task, which is one of the main reasons due to which all currently manufactured start-stop systems with a manual gearbox were SIN systems.

For SIG systems, it was proposed to use a Concentric Slave Cylinder (CSC) sensor along with a clutch master cylinder sensor (Clutch Master Cylinder, CMC) or clutch pedal position sensor to provide an indication of clutch disengaged. However, vehicles are usually not equipped with a CSC sensor and a CMC sensor or clutch pedal position sensor, as this incurs additional costs.

In addition, the predefined clutch release torque threshold for the CSC is difficult to determine and can be severely distorted due to tolerances between parts and clutch wear. In addition, the time shift of the clutch engagement time makes it even more difficult to determine one fixed threshold value of the CSC sensor to deactivate the clutch, which can be achieved during normal driving conditions (i.e., requires the driver to depress the clutch pedal to the end or almost to the end pedal stroke).

If both CMC and CSC sensors are installed, a malfunction can be detected, for example, a leak in the hydraulic system, but a catastrophic clutch failure leading to engagement of the clutch cannot be detected. Such a catastrophic failure can lead to unintentional movement of the vehicle, so some measures must be taken to detect the movement of the vehicle.

Thus, the development of a reliable, inexpensive method for determining the state of adhesion, which will allow you to use the SIG system in an inexpensive and safe manner.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a cost-effective way to determine the state of adhesion, which could compensate for the wear of the clutch.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a cost-effective and reliable way to use the SIG system.

Disclosure of invention

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for performing adaptive engagement of a clutch after evaluating its condition, where the clutch connects the vehicle engine to a multi-stage manual gearbox with the possibility of transmitting drive force, and the clutch engagement state is controlled by the movement of the clutch pedal, characterized in that the clutch pedal is and after evaluating the clutch state, the clutch is switched to the on state when the current speed the vehicle’s transmission is practically zero, the gearbox of the vehicle’s gearbox is engaged and the engine is running, and the current measured position of the clutch pedal is saved when its state is judged to be off, and when the clutch state is judged to be on, those stored values of the pedal position which are more relevant to the on state than the current measured position.

As a result of saving and deleting the stored positions of the clutch pedal, an adaptive set of data on the clutch pedal positions is obtained, which is supposed to lead to the clutch off.

When saving the current measured value of the position of the clutch pedal, the data set is updated with the current measured values.

The specified data set has a predetermined number of stored clutch pedal positions, and when this data set is full, it is updated by overwriting the oldest stored clutch pedal positions to the last values of the clutch pedal positions.

When deleting the stored positions of the clutch pedal, all stored pedal positions that correspond to the clutch on state more than the current measured position are deleted from the data set.

If the torque transmitted by the clutch is substantially zero, then it is concluded that the clutch state is in the off state, and otherwise, it is concluded that the clutch disengaged state is not confirmed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for turning off and starting a vehicle engine driving a multi-stage manual gearbox by means of a clutch, the switching state of which is controlled by the movement of the clutch pedal, characterized in that it is determined whether the request to start the engine was executed by the driver or the system, and if the request was fulfilled by the driver, then it is determined whether to start the engine, based on a comparison of the current measured position engaging the clutch pedal with a series of stored clutch pedal positions rated as being related to an off state according to the method of the first aspect.

The engine is started if the current position of the clutch pedal is greater than or equal to the last stored position corresponding to the off state.

The engine start is canceled if the current position of the clutch pedal is less than the last stored position corresponding to the off state.

If a request to start the engine is requested by the system, the necessity of starting the engine is determined based on a comparison of the current position of the clutch pedal with the position of the pedal when the engine is off.

The engine is started if the current position of the clutch pedal is in the same or more consistent with the off state than when the engine is off.

Starting the engine is canceled if the current position of the clutch pedal is more consistent with the clutch engaged than with the engine turned off.

When the driver requests the engine to be turned off when the gearbox is engaged and the vehicle is stationary, based on the results of the clutch condition assessment, it is determined whether the engine can be turned off.

If the clutch condition is rated as switched off, the engine is turned off, otherwise they keep the engine running.

The predicted clutch engagement state is evaluated as off if the torque transmitted by the clutch is substantially zero.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for turning off and starting a vehicle engine driving a multi-stage manual gearbox by means of a clutch, the switching state of which is controlled by pressing the clutch pedal, characterized in that it contains an electronic control unit configured to determine whether there was a request to start the engine is performed by the driver or system, and if the request was made by the driver, then the electronic control unit can then determine whether to start the engine, based on the comparison of the measured current position of the clutch pedal with the set positions of the clutch pedal, evaluated as a related off state, stored in the memory of the electronic control unit.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will be further described by way of example with reference to the following accompanying drawings:

1A is a schematic illustration of a vehicle having the SIG start-stop system of the invention;

FIG. 1B is a schematic illustration of a clutch drive system forming part of the start-stop system of FIG. 1;

Figure 2 is a schematic illustration of the operating range of movement of the clutch pedal, showing three predetermined zones;

3A is a flowchart illustrating a first embodiment of a method for evaluating the adhesion state in accordance with a first aspect of the present invention;

3B is a flowchart illustrating a second embodiment of a method for evaluating the adhesion state in accordance with a first aspect of the present invention;

4A-4C are schematic flowcharts illustrating a method for controlling a SIG start-stop system using an engagement state evaluated in accordance with a second aspect of the present invention.

5A is a diagram showing three possible positions of the clutch pedal when the engine is turned off.

Fig. 5B is a diagram showing a number of clutch pedal positions obtained when checking the clutch disengaged state;

6 is a diagram illustrating a quick change of the engagement point when the engine is turned off;

7 is a flowchart of a method for adaptively evaluating a pedal position corresponding to a disengaged clutch.

The implementation of the invention

1A and 1B show a vehicle 5 having an engine 10 driving a multi-stage manual gearbox 11. The gearbox 11 is connected to the engine 10 to transmit drive force through a clutch 8 (not shown in FIG. 1A), which is engaged and is turned off by the driver of the vehicle 5 manually, and it also has a gear shift (not shown). The gear selector can be manually moved between several positions, including at least one position in which a gear that is part of a multi-stage gearbox can be engaged, and a neutral position in which no gear of a multi-stage gearbox is engaged. When the gear switch is moved to the neutral position, the multi-stage mechanical gearbox 11 is in the so-called neutral state in which it does not transmit drive force. When the gear selector is moved to the engaged position, the multi-stage gearbox 11 is in the so-called engaged state in which it transfers the drive force.

The engine starter in the form of an integrated starter generator 13 is connected to the engine 10 with the possibility of transmitting drive force, in this case it is connected to the crankshaft of the engine 10 using a flexible drive in the form of a drive belt or chain drive 14. The starter generator 13 is connected to an electric source energy in the form of a battery 15 and is used to start the engine 10, while the battery 15 is charged from a starter generator operating as a generator. The invention is not limited to using the starter generator 13, and the starter generator 13 can be replaced by a starter motor to start the engine 10.

It should be understood that during the start of the engine 10, the starter-generator 13 drives the crankshaft of the engine 10, and the rest of the time, the starter-generator is driven by the engine 10 to generate electrical energy.

The driver-controlled on / off device in the form of a key-operated ignition switch 17 is used to control the operation of the engine 10. In other words, during the operation of the engine 10, the ignition switch 17 is in the on position, and when the ignition switch 17 is in the off position, engine 10 cannot work. The ignition switch 17 also has a third short-term position used to manually start the engine 10. It should be understood that other devices may be used to perform this function, and that the invention is not limited to the use of an ignition switch.

The electronic control unit 16 is connected to the starter-generator 13, with the engine 10, with the gear shift sensor 12, used to monitor whether the gearbox 11 is in a neutral state or the gear is engaged, with a speed sensor 21 used to measure the speed of rotation of the chassis wheels 20, with a brake pedal position sensor 24 used to monitor the position of the brake pedal 23, with a clutch pedal position detection system used to monitor the position of the clutch pedal 25, and with the sensor 19 the position of the gas pedal used to control the position of the gas pedal 18. The gas pedal 18 transmits an input signal from the driver corresponding to the requested engine power 10. If the gas pedal 18 has been moved from its original position, then they say that it is in the depressed position or depressed state. It should be understood that instead of controlling the position of the gas pedal, you can control the position of the throttle and use it to determine the position of the gas pedal.

The electronic control unit 16 can perform functions independently or be connected to the engine control system of the vehicle 5, capable of determining the amount of fuel supplied to the engine 10, to control the output torque of the engine 10 and the engine 10 idling through the engine idle speed controller.

Although the vehicle speed measurement is described above with reference to the use of the wheel sensor 21, since such sensors are in most cases already mounted on the vehicle as part of the anti-lock braking system, it should be understood that other suitable means can be used to determine the speed of the vehicle 5, for example, a sensor measuring the rotation speed of the secondary shaft of the gearbox 11.

It should be understood that the term “gear shift sensor” is not limited to a sensor that monitors the position of the gear shifter, instead, it can be a device that can transmit a feedback signal indicating that the gearbox 11 is in the engaged state or neutral condition. In other words, it can be a neutral gear sensor or an engaged gear sensor.

Similarly, the term “brake pedal sensor” is not limited to a sensor that monitors the position of the brake pedal, it can also be a device that can transmit a feedback signal indicating whether the driver of the vehicle 5 presses the brake pedal 23 to apply the brakes Vehicle 5. For example, a brake pedal sensor can measure fluid pressure in one or more brake lines. If the brake pedal 23 is depressed sufficiently to engage the brakes, it is said to be in the depressed state or the depressed position.

In this case, the clutch pedal position detection system includes a clutch master cylinder sensor 26 used to monitor the position of the clutch pedal 25 by detecting the position of the piston (not shown) of the clutch master hydraulic cylinder 27, and the clutch pedal electronic processor (EC3P) 16C used to process the position signal from the clutch position sensor 26 to generate a control output signal for the electronic control unit 16 using the logic stored in the EC3P 16C. However, it should be understood that instead of monitoring the piston of the brake master cylinder, the position sensor can directly monitor the position of the clutch pedal 25, or several switches can be used as indicators of the position of the clutch pedal.

Determining the position of the clutch pedal 25 as depressed or released is performed using the EC3P 16C, which is part of the electronic control unit 16, using the signal about the position of the clutch pedal received from the position sensor 26. The clutch position signal indicates the current position (CP) of the clutch pedal 25.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the clutch drive system is formed in this case by the clutch pedal 25, the main hydraulic cylinder 27, the hydraulic actuator cylinder 28, and the clutch release lever 29, which engages and disengages the clutch 8 using the release bearing 9. However, it should be understood that Other means can be used to convert the movement of the clutch pedal 25 to the clutch position 8 on or off, and that the invention is not limited to using a hydraulic drive system tsepleniya.

It should also be understood that the clutch pedal position electronic processor (EC3P) 16C may be a separate device and may not be included in the start-stop main electronic control unit 16.

The electronic control unit 16 receives several signals from the engine 10, including a signal allowing to determine the rotation speed of the engine 10 from the speed sensor (not shown), and sends to the engine the signals used to control the stop and start of the engine 10. In this case, the engine 10 is an engine 10 with spark ignition, and the signals sent by the electronic control unit 16 are used to control the fuel supply system (not shown) of the engine 10, and the ignition system (not shown) for the engine 10. If engine 10 would be diesel, it would be necessary to control only the supply of fuel to the engine. The electronic control unit 16 consists of various components, including a central processing unit, memory devices, timers and signal processing devices for converting signals from sensors connected to the electronic control unit 16 into data used by the electronic control unit 16 to control operation, in particular, automatic stopping and starting the engine 10. One of the storage devices of the electronic control unit 16 is a storage device 16M for the position of the clutch pedal. The clutch pedal position memory 16M stores an adaptive set of clutch pedal position data that is believed to cause clutch disengagement, which will be described in more detail below.

During normal engine operation, the electronic control unit 16, which in this case includes an engine control system and an idle speed controller, can be used to control the amount of fuel supplied to the engine 10 and to adjust the ignition system so that ignition is supplied to the engine 10 from the spark plugs at the right time to create the necessary engine torque.

The electronic control unit 16 controls the operation of the engine 10, which can operate in two modes: the first (automatic) start-stop mode and the second (continuous) mode. However, it should be understood that one or more separate electronic controllers could be used to control the normal operation of the engine 10, and the electronic controller 16 can only control the switching of the engine 10 between two operating modes, as well as the automatic start and stop of the engine 10.

The electronic control unit 16 can also be used to determine whether it is necessary to start the engine 10 in the first mode by checking one or more operating parameters before issuing a work permit in the first mode.

These engine operating parameters may include the temperature of the engine coolant, a situation where no catalytic converter connected to the engine is heated, a situation where the engine speed is within predetermined limits, the vehicle’s battery level 5 and current energy consumption by vehicle 5.

For example, if the coolant temperature is lower than 65 ° C, if the catalytic converter is not heated or the engine speed is above 1100 rpm (RPM), then the first mode is turned on, and the electronic control unit 16 is used to turn on the engine 10 in warm-up mode, in wherein the engine 10 runs continuously regardless of whether the vehicle 5 is moving or not.

If it is determined that the engine operating conditions are met, the start-stop system enters the first operating mode when one or more predetermined engine stop and start conditions are satisfied.

These stop and start conditions are used for Shift Transmission Stop (SIG) systems based on signals received by the electronic control unit 16 from various sensors and systems.

For example, to stop the engine in SIG mode, consider the following factors:

1) whether the vehicle speed is equal to zero, according to information from the vehicle speed sensor 21;

2) whether the gear is currently engaged, according to information from the gear shift sensor 12;

3) whether the gas pedal 18 is pressed, according to information from the gas pedal position sensor 19;

4) whether the brake pedal 23 is pressed, according to information from the brake pedal position sensor 24;

5) whether it is concluded that the clutch is off;

and

6) whether there are conditions that prevent the engine from stopping, such as high energy consumption by the air conditioning unit, low battery and / or system error.

Subject to all these requirements, the engine 10 will be stopped, otherwise it will continue to work.

To restart the engine 10, it is necessary to consider the following factors:

1) whether the transmission is engaged;

and

2a) the brake pedal 23 moves from the depressed state to the released one;

or

2b) the gas pedal moves from the released to depressed state;

and

3) whether it is concluded that the clutch is off;

and

4) there are no conditions preventing the engine from starting, for example, system errors.

Subject to all these requirements, the engine 10 will be started, otherwise it will remain stopped.

Regarding conditions 2a and 2b, it should be understood that they will depend on the configuration of the vehicle, and switching events for the engine will depend on which of these conditions are relevant.

In some embodiments, only the position of the brake pedal is used as the start signal for restarting, however, in other embodiments, the position of the gas pedal can be used as the start signal for restarting, but in the described embodiment, if the position of the brake pedal changes from depressed to released or the position of the gas pedal changes from released to depressed, then one of them can also be used as a start signal for restarting.

Figure 2 shows three states of the clutch pedal: released (R), depressed (P) and depressed (D), as well as boundary threshold values between the states. Today, these three states are usually used in start-stop systems.

In the “R” zone, the clutch pedal 25 is considered released, in other words, the clutch 8 is engaged, in the “D” zone the clutch pedal 25 is fully depressed, while the clutch 8 is turned off, and in the “P” zone the clutch pedal 25 is depressed, but the clutch 8 can be turned off or on depending on the location of the clutch pedal in the “P” zone relative to the switching point P _bite .

In this example, the boundary between the zone of the pressed position “P” and the zone of the squeezed position “D” corresponds to approximately 70% displacement of the clutch pedal.

3A shows a first embodiment of a method for evaluating the adhesion state suitable for a SIG system.

The method begins at step 105, which corresponds to turning on the ignition of the vehicle 5. Then, a transition occurs to step 110, which checks whether the vehicle is stationary, according to information from the vehicle speed sensor 21. If the vehicle speed is not close to zero, then it cannot be concluded that the clutch is turned off, and the method proceeds to step 140, the result of which is the output signal for the start-stop controller 16 used to control the operation of the engine 10.

The method then proceeds from step 140 to step 190 to check whether the ignition has been turned off. If so, then at step 199, the method ends; otherwise, returns to step 110, where the next cycle starts.

If the vehicle 5 is stationary, the method proceeds from step 110 to step 111, where it is determined whether the transmission is engaged. This uses the signal from the sensor 12 of the gear selector. This condition is necessary because when the gearbox 11 is in the neutral position, the torque generated on the clutch 8 will be zero regardless of the position of the clutch pedal. Therefore, if this condition is not fulfilled, checking the clutch disengaged state may lead to the erroneous conclusion that the clutch pedal has passed the on position, although this did not actually happen.

If no gear is selected, the clutch state cannot be judged off, and the method proceeds from step 111 to step 140, the result of which is the output signal to the start-stop controller 16 used to control the operation of the engine 10.

The method then proceeds from step 140 to step 190, where it is checked whether the ignition is turned off. If so, then at step 199, the method ends; otherwise, returns to step 110, where the next cycle starts.

If the transmission is currently selected, the method proceeds from step 111 to step 112, where it is determined whether the engine is running. This check is necessary in order to ensure that the engine 10 is started, because otherwise it will be impossible to assess whether the clutch 8 is turned off using the clutch torque. This is due to the fact that when the engine 10 is stationary, the clutch torque will be zero regardless of whether the clutch 8 is engaged.

Therefore, if the engine does not work, the clutch state cannot be judged as turned off, the method proceeds from step 112 to step 140, the result of which is the output signal to the start-stop controller 16, which is used to control the operation of the engine 10.

The method then proceeds from step 140 to step 190, where it is checked whether the ignition is turned off. If so, then at step 199, the method ends; otherwise, returns to step 110, where the next cycle starts.

If it is determined in step 112 that the engine is running, the method proceeds from step 112 to step 113, where it is determined whether the engine idle speed controller is active. This condition is used to limit the calculated clutch torque to the idle speed. Thus, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of unstable operation of the engine and slowing off the fuel supply, which create unnecessary difficulties. However, this condition is not very important, its use should not be considered as the only way to implement the clutch disengagement assessment strategy.

However, if in this case the engine idle speed controller is not active, the clutch state cannot be judged off, the method proceeds from step 113 to step 140, the result of which is the output signal to the start-stop controller 16, used to control the operation of the engine 10 .

The method then proceeds from step 140 to step 190, where it is checked whether the ignition is turned off. If so, then at step 199, the method ends; otherwise, returns to step 110, where the next cycle starts.

However, if it is found in step 113 that the engine idle speed controller is active, the method proceeds from step 113 to step 114, where it is checked whether the clutch torque value is close to zero. The clutch torque is based on the calculation performed in the engine control system of the vehicle 5, how much fuel is injected into the engine 10 to maintain the required idle torque, taking into account the electrical and mechanical loads on the engine 10.

If the clutch torque value is not close to zero, the clutch state cannot be judged off, the method proceeds from step 114 to step 140, the result of which is the output signal to the start-stop controller 16 used to control the operation of the engine 10.

The method then proceeds from step 140 to step 190, where it is checked whether the ignition is turned off. If so, then at step 199, the method ends; otherwise, returns to step 110, where the next cycle starts.

However, if it is found in step 114 that the clutch torque is practically zero, the method proceeds from step 114 to step 118, where it is checked whether the stabilization period has elapsed, for example one second. This condition is included as a protective measure to ensure that signal interference or signal spikes do not accidentally lead to other conditions being met by mistake for a short time. A stabilization period of one second is usually sufficient to compensate for the occurrence of such conditions.

If the stabilization period has not expired, the clutch state cannot be judged off, the method proceeds from step 118 to step 140, the result of which is the output signal to the start-stop controller 16 used to control the operation of the engine 10.

The method then proceeds from step 140 to step 190, where it is checked whether the ignition is turned off. If so, then at step 199, the method ends; otherwise, returns to step 110, where the next cycle starts.

If it is determined at step 118 that the necessary stabilization period has expired, the method proceeds to step 120, where it is confirmed that the clutch 8 has been turned off, and the result is an output signal to the start-stop controller 16, used to control the operation of the engine 10 .

The method then proceeds from step 120 to step 190 to check whether the ignition has been turned off. If so, then at step 199, the method ends; otherwise, returns to step 110, where the next cycle starts.

Thus, the method provides a convenient and inexpensive way to indicate the state of the clutch 8, which does not require the use of an expensive or complex system of sensors for engaging the clutch. In other words, a large amount of additional equipment or associated costs are not required.

FIG. 3B shows a second embodiment of a method for determining the adhesion state suitable for use in SIG systems.

The method is in many ways similar to the previously described method, steps with the same numbers will have the same purpose. In the second embodiment, three new conditions are added, indicated in steps 115, 166 and 177 between the previously described steps 114 and 118 with reference to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 3A.

In this case, if it is determined at step 114 that the engine torque is substantially zero, the method proceeds from step 114 to step 115, where it is checked whether the clutch pedal is fully depressed. In other words, the output signal P _Sens from the clutch pedal position sensor, represented as the clutch master cylinder sensor 26, indicates that the clutch pedal has been pressed more than the predetermined threshold value P _Thres .

For example, if the threshold value P _Thres is a signal level equal to 70% of the movement of the clutch pedal 25, then the following check is performed:

P _Sens > P _Thres or P _Sens > 70%? If yes, then the clutch pedal 25 is fully depressed, if not, then this means that the clutch pedal 25 is not fully depressed.

This condition is necessary in order to add one more level of protection to prevent a positive conclusion about the clutch being switched off when there is a clearly incorrect CMC sensor signal P _Sens . For example, if the P _Sens position signal from the CMC sensor indicates that the clutch pedal 25 is only 10% depressed and all other clutch test conditions indicate clutch deactivation, this suggests that there is an error associated with the P _Sens sensor signal CMC, either a malfunction or an error in the clutch system itself. Under such circumstances, clutch condition checks should not conclude that the clutch is turned off so that the engine does not stop.

Therefore, if in this case, the sensor 26 determines that the clutch pedal is not fully depressed, the clutch state cannot be judged off, the method proceeds from step 115 to step 140, where the result of step 140 is an output signal to the start-stop controller 16, used to control the operation of the engine 10. Although not shown in FIG. 3B, the driver of the vehicle 5 may be warned when such a condition occurs.

The method then proceeds from step 140 to step 190 to check whether the ignition has been turned off. If so, then at step 199, the method ends; otherwise, returns to step 110, where the next cycle starts.

However, if it is found that at step 115 the clutch pedal 25 is fully depressed, the method proceeds to step 116 to determine whether the brake pedal 23 is fully depressed.

At step 116, it is checked whether the signal from the brake pedal position sensor 24 indicates that the brake pedal 23 is fully depressed. If it is determined that the brake pedal is fully depressed, the method proceeds to step 117 to determine the state of the gas pedal 18. This condition was added as an additional degree of protection to confirm that the vehicle 5 is actually stationary. The accuracy of the vehicle speed signal from the vehicle speed sensor 21 at low speeds is not always sufficient to ensure that the vehicle 5 is stopped. In other words, it has been added as an additional measure to ensure that the vehicle 5 does not move slowly at idle speed down the slope, which can lead to the appearance of neutral torque on clutch 8 when clutch 8 is actually engaged. The idle speed must be lower than the minimum vehicle speed so that it can be determined using the vehicle speed sensor 21, given that to fulfill all conditions at step 110, the vehicle must be at zero speed.

If it is determined at step 116 that the brake pedal 23 is not fully depressed, a clutch disengaged cannot be made, and the method proceeds from step 116 to step 140, the result of which is an output signal to the start-stop controller 16 used to control operation engine 10.

The method then proceeds from step 140 to step 190 to check whether the ignition has been turned off. If so, then at step 199, the method ends; otherwise, returns to step 110, where the next cycle starts.

At step 117, it is checked whether the signal from the gas pedal sensor 19 indicates that the gas pedal 18 is not depressed.

If at step 117, according to the signals from the gas pedal position sensor 19, it is determined that the gas pedal 18 has not been pressed, the method proceeds from step 117 to step 118. This condition is added because it only effectively helps to conclude that the clutch is turned off under the conditions for subsequent engine shutdown. If the vehicle driver requests torque, for example, if the gas pedal 18 is fully depressed, a stop in SIG mode will not be triggered.

If it is determined at step 117 that the gas pedal 18 is fully depressed, the clutch state does not need to be judged as off, the method proceeds from step 117 to step 140, the result of which is the output signal to the start-stop controller 16 used to control the operation of the engine 10.

The method then proceeds from step 140 to step 190 to check whether the ignition has been turned off. If so, then at step 199, the method ends; otherwise, returns to step 110, where the next cycle starts.

If the method transitioned from step 117 to step 118, then, as before, a check is made to see if the stabilization period has elapsed, for example, equal to one second. This condition, as before, was included as a protective measure to ensure that interference or signal spikes do not accidentally cause other conditions that can be erroneously performed for a short time.

As before, if the stabilization period has not expired, the clutch state cannot be judged off, the method proceeds from step 118 to step 140, the result of which is the output signal to the start-stop controller 16, which is used to control the operation of the engine 10.

The method then proceeds from step 140 to step 190 to check whether the ignition has been turned off. If so, then at step 199, the method ends; otherwise, returns to step 110, where the next cycle starts.

However, if at step 118 the required stabilization period has expired, then, as before, the method proceeds to step 120, where it is confirmed that the clutch state 8 is judged to be off, and the result is an output signal to the start-stop controller 16, used to control the operation of the engine 10.

The method then proceeds from step 120 to step 190 to check whether the ignition has been turned off. If so, then at step 199, the method ends; otherwise, returns to step 110, where the next cycle starts.

The above-described second embodiment also provides a convenient and inexpensive way of indicating the state of the clutch 8 without the need for an expensive or complex clutch engagement sensor system, and is also more reliable than the first embodiment.

FIGS. 4A-6 illustrate a method for automatically stopping and starting the engine 10 of a vehicle 5 when a transmission of a gearbox 11 driven by the engine 10 is engaged.

The method begins at step 205, which corresponds to turning on the ignition, which causes the engine 10 to start.

The method then proceeds to step 210, where a check is made to see if the vehicle is moving 5. In other words, a check is made to see if the speed of the vehicle (VS) is greater than zero. If so, the method does not proceed further, but cyclically checks the speed of the vehicle. In other words, when the vehicle’s speed is practically zero, only a stop in an engaged gear is possible, and if the vehicle’s speed is not close to zero, a stop in an engaged gear is not possible.

If it was found that the vehicle speed does not exceed zero, the method proceeds to step 220.

At step 220, a compliance check is performed to evaluate the clutch disengaged state. These conditions have been described previously with reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B, and will not be further discussed in detail. Therefore, if the result of this check indicates the clutch is off, as in step 120 in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the method proceeds from step 220 to step 225. But if there is no confirmation that the clutch is turned off, as in step 140 in FIG. 3A and 3B, the method proceeds to step 227.

It is expected that, at step 227, previously stored clutch pedal position values P _s will indicate a clutch disengaged state that occurs on the clutch side of the current clutch pedal position P _p measured by the clutch pedal position sensor 26, or any other sensor capable of providing an output signal indicative of to the position of the clutch pedal, and thereby to the clutch engaged state. For example, if the current position P _{p of} the clutch pedal indicates that the clutch pedal 25 has been depressed 73% of the maximum stroke, then all stored pedal position values P _s less than 73%, for example 70%, will be deleted.

The values of the positions P _{s of} the clutch pedal, which will indicate the clutch off state, will be stored as a data set in the memory 16M for the clutch pedal positions, which in this case is part of the electronic control unit 16, but may also be part of another electronic unit or the controller. Thus, the clutch pedal positions P _s are deleted from the data set stored in the memory 16M for the clutch pedal positions.

This approach adapts the system to changes in the clutch engagement point by deleting from the 16M memory those values of the clutch pedal position that have ceased to apply to providing the clutch off.

After step 227, the method proceeds to step 228, where the engine 10 is not turned off, and then returns to step 210 to once again check for movement of the vehicle 5.

Returning to step 220, it should be noted that if the above conditions are met, the method proceeds from step 220 to step 225, where the current position P _{p of} the clutch pedal is taken from the clutch pedal position sensor 26 and temporarily stored as the position P _{pc of the} pedal clutch corresponding to a specific clutch disengagement position. Alternatively, the last values of P _s stored in step 230 can be used for subsequent comparison.

Next, the method proceeds to step 230, where the current position P _{p of} the clutch pedal is added to the data set of the storage device 16M for the clutch pedal positions as the last clutch disengaged values P _s . In other words, since it has been determined that the clutch 8 is turned off, the current position P _{p of} the clutch pedal is the last position of the pedal, which corresponds to the disengaged state of the clutch 8, and will always include “n” the last saved clutch pedal positions P _s .

The 16M memory for clutch pedal positions is a rewritable memory or register memory. In other words, there is a fixed number of “n” stored values of P _s , including, but not limited to, fifty positions, and when the fifty-first value of position P _{p is} added to the memory, the oldest value will be overwritten or erased, so that the memory 16M constantly updated to track changes regarding the clutch 8 or engagement system, such as changes to the clutch engagement point. Before reaching the memory limit of 16M, the values of the clutch pedal positions in the data set are stored in the sequence in which they were received.

Continuing from step 230, the method proceeds to step 235 to determine whether the conditions for shutdown in SIG mode have been met.

A complete set of conditions for shutting down in SIG mode:

1) the vehicle speed is zero, according to information from the vehicle speed sensor 21

2) the clutch disengaged state is determined;

3) the transmission is turned on, according to information from the sensor 12 of the gear selector;

4) the gas pedal 18 is not depressed, according to information from the gas pedal position sensor 19;

5) the brake pedal 23 is pressed, according to information from the sensor 24 of the brake pedal;

and

6) there are no conditions preventing the engine from stopping, such as high energy consumption by the air conditioning unit, low battery and / or system error.

Conditions 1 and 2 have already been verified in steps 210 and 220, so the following requirements are valid requirements that must be met in step 235:

The transmission is engaged, the gas pedal 18 is not depressed, the brake pedal 23 is depressed and there are no conditions preventing the engine from shutting down.

If at step 225 it is found that these conditions are not met, the method proceeds to step 228, where the engine 10 is not turned off, and then returns to step 210 to once again check whether the vehicle 5 is moving.

However, if at step 235 the conditions for turning off in SIG mode are met, the method proceeds to step 237, where the engine 10 is stopped to be in the off state, as indicated at step 240.

While the engine 10 is in the off state, the position P _{p of} the clutch pedal is constantly monitored in order to decide whether to start the engine 10, as indicated in step 245, after which, at step 250, a check is made for the conditions for starting the engine in SIG mode.

The conditions for starting the engine in SIG mode are shown in FIG. 4C, and are described in more detail below.

At step 250a, it is checked whether the request to start in SIG mode was executed by the driver, for example, by releasing the brake pedal 23 or depressing the gas pedal 18. If the start request is not executed by the driver, the method proceeds to step 250n, which only confirms that the start is caused by the system request, as in the case of a low battery 15 or when the air conditioning unit is turned on.

The method then proceeds to step 250p, where it is checked whether the current position P _{p of} the clutch pedal is greater than or equal to the position P _{pc of} the clutch pedal corresponding to the previously stored estimated clutch disengaged state. In other words, it is determined whether there has been a change in the position of the clutch pedal since the engine 10 was turned off.

5A schematically illustrates this process. Point a corresponds to the position P _{pc of} the clutch pedal stored in step 225 when the engine was turned off in step 237, and points b and c represent two possible current positions P _{p of} the clutch pedal. If the current position P _{p of} the clutch pedal corresponds to point “a” (or to the off side of point “a”), for example, as indicated at point “c”, then the check at step 250p will be passed. On the contrary, if the current position P _{p of} the clutch pedal is more consistent with the on position than the saved position P _{rc of} the clutch pedal, for example, as indicated at point “b”, then the check at step 250p will not pass.

This can be expressed as the values of the position of the clutch pedal:

If P _p <P _pc , then the method proceeds to step 250r; otherwise, the method proceeds to step 250y.

It should be understood that, provided there are no errors in the clutch engagement system, the position corresponding to the displacement of the clutch pedal at 0% indicates that the pedal has not been depressed at all, clutch 8 will definitely be engaged. In this case, the value corresponding to the movement of the clutch pedal to 100% indicates that the clutch pedal 25 has been fully depressed, and the clutch 8 will definitely be turned off.

Therefore, starting the engine is not permitted for a system requesting a start if the position P _{p of} the clutch pedal is changed to a more engaged position from the moment the engine is turned off.

At step 250r, the conditions for starting the engine in SIG mode are not met, since the verification of the position of the clutch pedal at step 250p has not been completed, the method proceeds from step 250 to step 255, where the driver can either be sent a request to fully press the clutch pedal / engage neutral gear , or a warning that starting the engine in SIG mode is not possible. Next, the method proceeds from step 255 to step 240, where the engine 10 remains off.

Return to step 250p occurs if the current clutch pedal position P _p is equal to or greater than the stored clutch pedal position P _pc when the engine 10 has been turned off. In other words, if the clutch pedal remains at the previous position P _p or is released, the method proceeds to step 250y, and then from step 250 to step 260, where the engine 10 is started. The method then proceeds from step 260 to step 280 to check the ignition is off. If so, the method ends at step 290. Otherwise, the method returns to step 210 to check whether the vehicle speed is zero.

It should be understood that, in practice, the system may also have timers or delay lines to account for changes in driver intentions to prevent the engine from starting and then immediately shutting it down. Management techniques that work with changing driver intentions are described in UK Patent No. 2,427,441.

Thus, in the case of initiation of engine start by the system, subject to passing the clutch disengagement check at 250p, the system starts the engine 10. Alternatively, between 250p and 250y, it is possible to check for system errors. In this case, if there are no system errors, the method proceeds to step 250y, otherwise, to step 250r.

Returning to step 250a in FIG. 4C, if the start request is initiated by the driver, the method proceeds to step 250b to check the current position P _{p of} the clutch pedal compared to the positions P _{s of the} pedal in the data set on the memory 16M. If the current position P _{p of} the clutch pedal is equal to or greater than the last clutch pedal position of any of the positions P _s stored on the memory 16M, then the check at step 250b will be passed.

If the test fails, then the method proceeds from step 250b to step 250f, and then from step 250 to steps 255 and 240, as described previously, while the engine remains turned off.

FIG. 5b shows a number of positions P _{s of} the clutch pedal stored on the memory device, indicated in FIG. 5b as “Passed Tests”. The upper and lower limits of this range are associated with the minimum value of the position P _{smin of} the clutch pedal stored in the data set of the memory device 16M, and the maximum value of the position P _{smax of} the clutch pedal stored on the memory device 16M. These values were stored in step 230. It should be noted that the values indicated in FIG. 5b as “Failed tests” are previously stored clutch pedal positions P _s deleted in step 227. They are lost or deleted because certain checks of the state of engagement were not passed, it was also unsafe to assume that the corresponding position of the clutch pedal would cause the clutch to turn off.

The check in step 250b will be completed provided that the current clutch position P _p exceeds the level P _smin .

If the verification in step 250b passes, the method proceeds from step 250b to step 250x. At 250x, a check is made of other engine start conditions in SIG mode.

Other conditions for starting the engine in SIG mode, in addition to the disengaged clutch, are the following conditions:

1) transmission is on;

and

2a) the brake pedal 23 moves from the depressed state to the released one;

or

2b) the gas pedal 18 moves from the released to depressed state;

and

3) there are no conditions preventing the launch, such as a system error.

In this case, if the brake pedal is released or the gas pedal is depressed, the system considers this event as a start signal for restarting.

Therefore, in the case of this embodiment, if the brake pedal 23 is selected and released or the gas pedal 18 is pressed and there are no conditions preventing the engine from starting, the method proceeds from step 250x to step 250y. Otherwise, the method proceeds to step 250f, and then from step 250 to steps 255 and 240, as mentioned earlier.

It should be understood that conditions 2a and 2b could be fulfilled at step 250a and that the engine 10 could be started regardless of whether the gearbox 11 is engaged, but in the specific case of starting the engine in SIG mode, the gearbox 11 must be engaged.

Speaking about conditions 2a and 2b, it should be understood that they will depend on the configuration of the vehicle, and the starting signals for restarting the engine will depend on which of these conditions are relevant.

In some embodiments, only the position of the brake pedal is used as a start signal to start the engine, in other embodiments, only the position of the gas pedal. But in the described embodiment, as a start signal for starting, a change in the position of the brake pedal from depressed to released is used, or a change in the position of the gas pedal from released to depressed.

From step 250y, the method proceeds to step 260, where the engine is started. The method then proceeds to step 280 to check the ignition is off, if so, the method ends at step 290. Otherwise, the method returns to step 210 to check whether the vehicle speed is zero.

Therefore, the described method for controlling the operation in SIG mode of the engine 10 uses two different clutch position checks, depending on the source of the request to start the engine. If the start is initiated by the driver, a less stringent check is used than if the start was started by the start-stop system due to changes in the operation of the vehicle 5. This increases the likelihood of starting the engine 10 without increasing the risk of inadvertent movement when the driver does not expect the engine to start. It should be understood that when initiating the start of the engine by the driver, he must actively request the start by moving the brake pedal or gas, and thus, is aware that starting should occur soon.

Figure 6 shows a situation in which the clutch engagement point unexpectedly changed in a period of time when the engine was in an off state. The position of the clutch point changed from BP (1), which was the starting point of engaging the clutch when the engine 10 was turned off, to the position BP (2), which is the current point of engagement of the clutch. Although such a situation is unlikely, and would mean a problem in the clutch 8, or with the clutch engagement system, the effect of such a change on the clutch engagement state is very large.

Point “d” corresponds to the position P _{pc of} the clutch pedal when the engine was turned off, and point “e” represents the current position P _{p of} the clutch pedal. Please note that in this case, starting the engine is likely to lead to some movement of the vehicle, since the current position P _{p of} the clutch pedal is on the clutch side BP (2), however, since the driver expects to start, this is acceptable and not serious security threats. However, at the next moment, step 220 is performed, and the check is likely to fail, all the clutch pedal positions of the engaging side of the new clutch point BP (2) are most likely to be deleted.

As described above, the method of shutting down and starting the engine 10 when the transmission of the gearbox 11 is engaged uses a method for adaptively determining the engagement state of the clutch to provide enhanced capabilities for starting the engine 10 after it is turned off. The main steps of this method are depicted in Fig.7.

The method begins with step 310, which corresponds to turning on the ignition, after which it proceeds to step 320, where the engine 10 starts. The position P _{p of} the clutch pedal continuously monitors the clutch pedal position sensor 26, as indicated in step 330, and at step 340 a request is received to assess the state of adhesion. In this case, a request to evaluate the state of engagement of the clutch can be initiated by the driver to turn off the engine when the gearbox 11 is at speed. The clutch engagement state is evaluated by the method described with reference to FIG. 3A or FIG. 3B.

After evaluating the engagement state of the clutch in step 340, the method proceeds to step 350, where a decision is made whether the state is off. If the estimated clutch engagement state corresponds to the disengaged state, then the method proceeds to step 360; otherwise, the method proceeds to step 370.

In step 360, which corresponds to step 230 of FIG. 4A, the current position P _{p of} the clutch pedal is added to the data set of the storage device 16M, updating it with newer pedal position values. In this case, the storage device 16M for the clutch pedal positions is continuously updated with additional values of the positions P _p corresponding to the clutch disengaged, thereby generating a range of stored positions P _s , all of which are considered clutch disengaged positions. The clutch pedal positions P _s are assumed positions, not valid, because the current clutch point is not really known, these stored pedal positions P _s cannot be permanently taken for the clutch disengaged state.

After step 360, the method proceeds to step 380, where the engine shutdown check is performed. In this case, the method ends at step 390, otherwise the operation proceeds to step 320 to perform the next cycle.

If it was determined in step 350 that the clutch engaging state does not correspond to the disengaged state, the method proceeds to step 370. In step 370, all stored clutch pedal positions P _s in the data set of the storage device 16M, which are more consistent with the on state, are deleted. than the current position P _p . Because the current position P _{p of} the clutch pedal occurs when a certain position of the clutch pedal is not turned off, and it becomes unsafe to believe that such a position of the pedal or another inclusion will result in a clutch disengaged state. For example, if the current position P _{p of the} pedal is 71%, then all P _s values less than 71% (for example, 70% or 69%) will be deleted. It should be understood that the values used for this comparison may not be a percentage, but an analog or digital representation of the position of the clutch pedal.

After step 370, the method proceeds to step 380, where the engine shutdown check is performed. In this case, the method ends at step 390, otherwise the operation proceeds to step 320 to perform a subsequent cycle.

Thus, summarizing the above, if the clutch position P _p is located in the Inferred Disengagement Memory Region (IDMS), as determined by the previously stored values of P _s , a driver-initiated request to start the engine in SIG mode will be allowed if there are no conditions preventing the engine from starting. If the position P _{p of} the clutch pedal is outside the IDMS area, then a request to start the engine in SIG mode is not allowed.

If the engine start is initiated by the system, permission will be granted only if the position P _{p of} the clutch pedal is equal to or greater than the position P _{pc of} the clutch pedal corresponding to the estimated state of the clutch disengaged obtained with the engine turned off and there are no conditions that prevent starting. The reason for the system-initiated launch prohibition using the entire IDMS interval is that the system cannot immediately compensate for a significant shift in the grip point if it suddenly occurs, as shown in FIG. 6. Such a sudden change in adhesion point can lead to inadvertent movement of the vehicle. In the case of starting the engine initiated by the driver, this is acceptable, since it was probably the intention of the driver to start moving at the time of the start request, so the driver will be ready to control the movement of the vehicle. However, if the engine starts automatically with a system that can occur at any time during the engine shutdown in SIG mode, the driver will not be ready to drive the vehicle if it suddenly starts to move.

It should be understood that a dataset with stored points P _s corresponding to the estimated state of disengaged clutch naturally performs self-tuning to calculate any displacement of the clutch point in any direction in time (for example, due to wear of the clutch, self-adjustment or evaporation / deterioration of the hydraulic fluid )

Although it is suggested in the above example that the data set will be stored in memory 16M for all key cycles of the vehicle, this does not have to be so, as an alternative, you can clear the memory of memory 16M for the position of the clutch pedal in each cycle .

The invention has been described by way of examples of preferred embodiments of the invention, in which the position of the clutch pedal is used as an indication of the clutch engaging state, since the movement of the clutch pedal 25 controls the engagement and disengagement of the clutch 8. It should be understood that the displacement measurement of other components of the clutch engaging system related to the clutch engagement state, and that the term “clutch pedal position” also includes such measurements. For example, a sensor that measures the displacement of one of the pistons of the working cylinder, the output rod of the working cylinder, the piston of the main cylinder, the input rod of the main cylinder, or the clutch release lever can produce a signal that relates to the clutch engaging state and corresponds to the term “pedal position” clutch. "

It should be understood that, as an alternative, the clutch pedal may also be a manual clutch engagement device, and the gas pedal may be a manual torque request device.

Those skilled in the art will understand that although the description has been given by way of example with reference to one or more embodiments, it is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, and that without departing from the spirit of the present invention, alternative embodiments may be obtained.

Claims (16)

1. The method of performing adaptive engagement of the clutch after evaluating its state, where the clutch connects the vehicle engine to a multi-stage manual gearbox with the possibility of transmitting drive force, and the state of engagement of the clutch is controlled by the movement of the clutch pedal, characterized in that the clutch pedal is controlled and after evaluation clutch states switch the clutch to the on state when the current vehicle speed is practically zero , the transmission of the vehicle’s gearbox is engaged and the engine is running, and the current measured position of the clutch pedal is saved when its state is judged to be off, and when the clutch state is judged to be on, those stored pedal position values that are more consistent with state than the current measured position. 2. The method according to claim 1, in which, as a result of saving and deleting the saved positions of the clutch pedal, an adaptive set of data on the clutch pedal positions is obtained, which is supposed to lead to the clutch off state. 3. The method according to p. 2, in which while maintaining the current measured value of the position of the clutch pedal update the data set with the current measured values. 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said data set has a predetermined number of stored clutch pedal positions, and when this data set is full, it is updated by overwriting the oldest stored clutch pedal positions to the last values of the clutch pedal positions. 5. The method according to any one of paragraphs. 2-4, in which, when deleting the stored positions of the clutch pedal, all stored pedal positions, which are more consistent with the engaged clutch state than the current measured position, are deleted from the data set. 6. The method according to any one of paragraphs. 1-4, in which, if the torque transmitted by the clutch is essentially zero, they conclude that the clutch state is in the off state, otherwise they conclude that the clutch off state is not confirmed. 7. The method of turning off and starting the engine of a vehicle driving a multi-stage manual gearbox by means of a clutch, the switching state of which is controlled by the movement of the clutch pedal, characterized in that it determines whether the request to start the engine was made by the driver or the system, and if the request was performed by the driver, it is determined whether to start the engine, based on a comparison of the current measured position of the clutch pedal with a number of stored pedal positions and clutch, rated as related to the off state according to the method according to one of paragraphs. 1-6. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the engine is started if the current position of the clutch pedal is greater than or equal to the last stored position corresponding to the off state. 9. The method according to claim 7 or 8, in which the engine start is canceled if the current position of the clutch pedal is less than the last stored position corresponding to the off state. 10. The method according to p. 7 or 8, in which, if a request to start the engine is requested by the system, determine the need to start the engine based on a comparison of the current position of the clutch pedal with the position of the pedal when the engine is off. 11. The method according to p. 10, in which the engine is started if the current position of the clutch pedal is in the same or more consistent with the off state than when the engine is off. 12. The method according to any one of paragraphs. 7-8, in which the engine start is canceled if the current position of the clutch pedal is more consistent with the clutch engaged than with the engine turned off. 13. The method according to any one of paragraphs. 9, in which, upon requesting the driver to turn off the engine with the gearbox engaged and the vehicle stationary, based on the results of the clutch condition assessment, it is determined whether the engine can be turned off. 14. The method according to p. 13, in which, if the clutch condition is rated as off, the engine is turned off, and otherwise the engine is kept running. 15. The method according to p. 14, in which the predicted state of engagement of the clutch is evaluated as off if the torque transmitted by the clutch is essentially zero. 16. A device for turning off and starting the engine of a vehicle driving a multi-stage manual gearbox by means of a clutch, the engagement state of which is controlled by pressing the clutch pedal, characterized in that it contains an electronic control unit configured to determine whether the request to start the engine has been executed by the driver or system, and if the request was made by the driver, then the electronic control unit can then determine whether to start the engine, based on and comparing the current measured clutch pedal position with a set of the clutch pedal position, estimated as belonging to the off state, stored in the memory of the electronic control unit.

Images